Method and apparatus for the automatic production of tubes provided with transverse ribs especially for heat exchangers



3,095,638 OF TUBES G. SEIEN July 2, 1963 El AUTOMATIC PRODUCTION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TH PROVIDED WITH TRANSVERSE RIBS ESPECIALLY FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 12, 1960 lm emon" g. S 1 w (M1)! ma July 2, 1963 G. SEIEN 3,095,638 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE AUTOMATIC PRODUCTION OF TUBES PROVIDED WITH TRANSVERSE RIBS ESPECIALLY FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS Filed Oct. 12. 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 2, 1963 G. SEIEN 3,095, 38

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE AUTOMATIC PRODUCTION OF TUBES PROVIDED WITH TRANSVERSE RIBS ESPECIALLY FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS Filed 0a., 12, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

July 2, 1963 G. SEIEN 3, 5,638

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE AUTOMATIC PRODUCTION OF TUBES PROVIDED WITH TRANSVERSE RIBS ESPECIALLY FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS Filed Oct. 12. 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor.

AYWMAS.M

United States Patent 3,095,638 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE AUTO- MATIC PRODUCTION OF TUBES PROVIDED WITH TRANSVERSE RIBS ESPECIALLY .FOR M HEAT EXCHANGERS Giinter Seien, Wanne-Eickel, Germany, assignor to GEA Luftkuhlergesellschaft Happel Gesellschaft m.b.H. & Co. K.G., Bochum, Germany, a firm Filed Oct. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 62,227 Claims priority, application Germany Oct. 13, 1959 3 Claims. (Cl. 29-202) In the production of tubes provided with transverse ribs, especially for heat exchangers, it is known to thread on to a tube at uniform adjustable distances apart apertured rib plates stamped from sheet metal strip and provided in the region of their slip-on apertures with a sliding seat. The threading on of such rib plates was hitherto effected by slipping on the individual stamped rib plates by hand and pushing them together at uniform distances determined if necessary by spacer tongues stamped out from the rib plates. Apart from the fact that this method, in cases where nospacer elements are provided on or between the ribs, scarcely enables the desired uniform spacing to be maintained between the individual ribs, the cost and times for their production are exceptionally high in proportion to the number of ribbed tubes produced per unit of time. p To overcome these objections, the invention provides a method for automatically threading transverse ribs on to tubes, in which rib plates preferably delivered from a stamping machine are threaded with sliding fit at certain, preferably adjustable distances apart on to at least one substantially smooth tube, which consists in threading the rib plates delivered on to the stationary tube, gripping each of the plates by carriers closely following each other, directly after they have been threaded on to the tube and sliding them along the tube until a releasing device situated at the place predetermined for the end position of the particular rib plate disenga-ges preferably instantaneously the carrier from the rib plate.

A particularly simple withdrawal of the carriers from the rib plates may be attained if a releasing device adjustable in the longitudinal direction of the tube is moved in counter direction to the direction of movement of the carriers in such a manner that the successive carriers are withdrawn from the rib plates at a point corresponding to the desired rib spacing, the releasing device being moved preferably at a lower speed than the carriers. If the carriers and releasing devices move at the same speed, rib spacings are produced which are equal to half the distance between two carriers.

To avoid idle running of the releasing device, its move ment is preferably only initiated when the first rib plate has reached its predetermined position, preferably at the end of the tube remote from the feed of the rib plates,

where the releasing device has its initial position. The movement of the releasing device can be initiated by the first rib plate running against a switch arranged on the releasing device.

To avoid damming up of the rib plates produced bythe stamping machine or idle running of the carriers, the carriers and the releasing device move in dependence upon the working speed of the stamping machine supplying the rib plates.

Apart from the fact that, by the automatic mode of operation of the proposed method, considerable time and expense are saved as compared with the hand method hitherto customary, the special advantage of the method according to the invention consists in that the spacing between the individual rib plates in their end positions can be adjusted continuously and extremely precisely in a 2 very simple manner by varying the relative speed between the releasing device and the carriers, relatively lower speeds of the releasing device producing narrower spacing of the rib plates, and, analogously, higher speeds wider spacings.

bench following said delivery device, a mounting support on said threading device for holding stationary at least one tube to be fitted with ribs, carriers for the rib plates movable in the longitudinal direction of the threading bench into a position for releasing the rib plates, and at least one releasing device movable on said threading bench in the opposite direction to the carriers to disengage said carriers from the rib plates.

The elements for the movement of the carriers and the releasing device may be constructed as endless circulating conveyor chains and may each be coupled with the driving motor of the stamping machine or the like delivering the rib plates by means of an infinitely variable gear.

It is advisable to arrange a disengageable clutch between the driving motor of the stamping machine and the conveying element for the releasing device in order to enable the releasing device to 'be brought to a standstill when the stampingmachine is operating and the carriers are moving, until the first rib plate has reached its predetermined position at the end of the tube remote from the stamping machine. It is likewise advisable to construct the gear arranged between the conveying element of the releasing device and the driving motor for the stamping machine, in such a manner that the direction of movement of the releasing device can be reversed, the stamping machine and the carrier conveyor element, on the movement of the releasing device being reversed, being uncoupled from their driving motor. Thus it is possible, after a rib fitting operation has been completed, to bring back the releasing device into its initial position ready for the next rib fitting operation, without it being necessary to disengage the releasing device from its conveying element, to push it back by hand and to again engage it with its conveying element.

The carriers for the rib plates are prefierably mounted to pivot on links of their conveyor chain, and each carrier is secured in vertical carrying position by a disengageable stop; The center of gravity of each carrier is so positioned that, on removing the disengageable stop coordinat ed to it from the swing path of the carrier, this carrier, under the influence of gravity, swings over counter to its direction of movement into the horizontal position. The releasing device travelling in the opposite direction to the carriers has primarily a pull-out mechanism for the disengageable stop of the carriers and cushioned stops coming into contact with the carriers at about the same time as the disengagement of the disengageable stops takes place. The pull-out mechanism may be actuated by control surfaces moving with the carrier conveyor chain.

It is particularly advantageous to construct the arrangement in such a manner that the cushioned stops contact the carriers above their pivots shortly before the carriers are released by disengaging the vdisengageable stops because in this way a sudden withdrawal of the carriers from-the rib plates is achieved, which is of great importance for maintaining accurate spacing of the rib plates in their final positions.

To prevent the apparatus from being damaged by carelessness of the operator, it is advisable to arrange on the stamping machine or the like a switch which, on being actuated by the releasing device running against it at the end of a rib fitting operation, brings the drive of the stamping machine or the like and consequently of the whole apparatus to a standstill.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a threading bench combined with a stamping machine;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a releasing device according to the invention cooperating with the carriers and the conveying element thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the gripper head of the releasing device;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the carrier in its locked vertical operative position including its locking and conveying elements;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the arrangement of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the carriage of the releasing device carrying the cushioned stops and with clamping levers for fixing it to its conveying element.

Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention includes a threading bench 2 which extends directly from the delivery side of a stamping machine 1 and on which two substantially smooth tubes 3 are arranged. The stamping machine 1 is a conventional eccentric press with a driving motor of its own and having arranged thereon in the vicinity of punches 4 a feeding device (not shown) which is coupled with an ejecting device (not shown) and feeds stamped rib plates 5 to the tubes 3 fixedly mounted on the threading bench 2. The stamping machine 1 works preferably in such a manner that the rib plates 5 are delivered therefrom with a central aperture corresponding to the external diameter of the tubes and provided with an annular collar the diameter of which is intended to ensure a tight sliding seat of the rib plates on the tubes.

For fixedly mounting the tubes 3 on the threading bench 2, a holding means or mounting support 6 is provided at the end of the tubes remote from the stamping machine 1, which mounting support is slidable in the longitudinal direction of the threading bench for adaptation to different lengths of tubes and fixes the tubes 3 in the desired position. Mounted on each of the ends of the tubes adjacent the stamping machine is a catching horn 7 which is so arranged that the stamped rib plates 5 delivered by the feeding device of the stamping machine are successively threaded on to the tubes by means of the catching horns 7 and can be gripped by conveyer means including carriers 14 so as to be carried along the tubes.

In the threading bench 2 an endless chain 8 (FIG. 4) is arranged in a substantially horizontal circulating plane and mounted laterally in slide rails 12 extending along the threading bench. The endless chain 8 is driven in the direction of the arrow x by sprocket Wheels 17. The carriers 14 serving for threading the rib plates on to the tubes are mounted on this chain 8 and their position relative to this chain is determined by control means which will now be described. A releasing device 15, capable of moving in the opposite direction to the carrier chain 8 and serving for instantaneously disengaging the carriers '14 from the rib plates 5 at predetermined places, can be fixed by means of a clamping lever 52 and dogs 53, as shown in FIG. 6, to an endless control belt or chain 16 (FIG. 6) guided over reversing rollers 9 and a tensioning roller 11. The chain 8 for the carriers 14 and the control chain 16 for the releasing device 15 are each connected through the intermediary of an infinitely variable transmission or gear, one of which is designated by 18 in FIG. 1, to the driving motor for the stamping machine 1. These two transmissions or gears serve for accurately tuning the feed speeds of the carrier chain 8 and the control chain 16 to the working speed of the stamping machine. In addition, the transmission or gear connected to the control chain 16 for the releasing device 15 also serves for adjusting, as requested, the spacing of the rib plates 5 by changing the feed speed of the releasing device in relation to the feed speed of the carriers 14. If, for example, the speed of the carrier chain 8 is chosen to be 60 centimeters per second, it is possible in the case of a feed speed of the control chain 16 of about 3 to 12 millimeters per second, to obtain all spacings of the rib plates which are desired in practice for tubes fitted with transverse ribs.

As shown in FIG. 4, the carriers 14 pivotally mounted at uniform distances apart on the entire length of the chain 8 for shifting the rib plates 5 along the tubes 3 have, in the form of construction illustrated, two re cesses 20 in which the tubes to be fitted with ribs are located. These recesses are larger than the external diameter of the tubes but smaller than the rib plates. It is evident that it is also possible, in the case of a threading bench of wider construction, simultaneously to provide with rib plates even more tubes arranged side by side. The tubes can be provided with both separate rib plates which are independent of each other and rib plates which are commonly threaded on to a plurality of tubes, thus forming connecting elements for these tubes. The carriers 14 are each provided at their lower portions with a counterweight 21 which extends in the opposite direction to the direction of movement x of the carrier chain 8. The counterweight 21 ensures that the center of gravity of the carriers 14, when in vertical position, is so positioned as to exert always a moment of rotation in the sense of a swinging movement of the carriers counter to their direction of travel into a position of rest substantially parallel to the tubes 3.

Pivots 19 for the carriers 14 extend between two links of the carrier chain 8 arranged longitudinally of the carrier chain and are mounted at their ends in sliding cheeks 22 and 23. As shown in FIG. 5, the sliding cheeks 22 and 23 are each shiftably mounted against the action of a pressure spring 25 on chain links 24 constructed as slide guides and arranged parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction of the carrier chain. The pressure springs 25 bear with their front ends in the direction of movement x of the carrier chain against the sliding cheeks 22 and 23 and with their other ends against collars 26 on the slide guides 24. The ends of the slide guides are constructed as lugs 27 through which link pins 28 pass which also extend through neighboring longitudinal chain links 29 which carry no sliding cheeks. The link pins 28 carry at their ends runner wheels or end discs 30 by which they are guided in the slide rails 12 on the threading bench 2.

As can be seen from FIG. 4, one of the sliding cheeks carrying the pivots 19 of the carriers 14, namely the sliding cheek 23, is extended in upward direction to an amount corresponding substantially to the height of the carriers 14. At the upper end of the sliding check 23 a locking device is arranged by means of which the carriers can be locked in their vertical operative positions. This locking device consists of a fixed stop 31 (FIG. 5) and a disengageable stop 32, both stops extending into the path of swing of the carriers. The disengageable stop 32, which, as shown in FIG. 5, is arranged on the side of the carriers facing the stamping machine, is constructed as a bolt which can be withdrawn and which is provided on its end remote from the carrier with a knob 32a. This bolt 32 can be provided with two shallow annular grooves (not shown) in which a spring-loaded catch having rounded end faces engages alternately in the locking and unlocking positions of the bolt, this catch being longitudinally shiftable in the upper portion of the sliding cheek 23 radially to the bolt 32.

On the outwardly directed side the sliding cheeks 23 are provided in their middle Zone with a U-shaped recess which has surfaces 33 serving for controlling a double lever 34 (FIG. 2) of the releasing device hereinafter described in detail.

As shown in FIG. 2, the double lever 34 is mounted for swinging movement in horizontal plane about a pivot 35 on a carriage 36 longitudinally shiftable on a side wall of the threading bench 2. The double lever has an arm 37 which normally projects into the path of the control surfaces 33 of the sliding cheeks 23. Under the action of a relatively weak tension spring 38 arranged between the lever arm 37 and the carriage 36, :another arm 39 of the double lever constantly engages behind a gripper head 40. This gripper head is arranged on one end of a bolt 41 longitudinally shiftable in a guide 42 disposed on the carriage 36 perpendicularly to the direction of movement of the carrier chain 8. This bolt 41 is normally held out of the path of the carrier chain 8 and the parts connected therewith as it is under the action of a pressure spring 47 which is considerably stronger than the tension spring 38. The bolt 41 carries a guide pin 43, extending perpendicularly to it, which is slidable in a slot 44 of the guide 42, thereby preventing the bolt 41 carrying the gripper head 40 from turning. The pressure spring 47 bears at one end against an end face of the guide 42 and at the other end against a supoprting plate 46 held by a nut 45.

The gripper head 40 fixed on the end of the bolt 41 facing the carrier chain is provided, in the direction of movement x of the carrier chain, with an opening 48, as shown in FIG. 3, which is larger than the longitudinal section of the disengageable bolt 32 but adapted thereto and slotted toward the end face of the gripper head adjacent the carrier chain. To facilitate the running in of the knob 32a of the disengageable stop 32 into the opening 48, the latter is provided with a bevelled inner Wall 49 (FIG. 3) directed towards the carrier chain. The bolt 41 can, with the aid of a manually operable locking latch 50, be held continually in a position for disengaging the disengageable stops 32. The arrangement and length of the double lever 34 are such that, on the control surface 33 of the sliding cheek 23 becoming free from the long lever arm L37, the knob 32a of the succeeding disengageable stop 32 is located inside the gripper head 40, so that by the action of the pressure spring 47, the disengageable stop 32 is pulled out of the path of swing of the carriers 14 by the gripper head.

Sh-i-fta-bly mounted on the side of the threading bench opposite the carriage 36 and associated with the releasing device is another carriage 51 which, as can be seen from FIG. 6, is clamped to the conveyor chain 16 by means of another clamping lever 52 and other dogs 53. As shown in FIG. 6, this carriage 51 is guided on a slide rail 54 and supported through the intermediary of a saddle frame 60 on the threading bench on the side of the carriage 36 by means of rollers 55. The carriage 51 carries a stop plate 56 (FIG. 2) which, as seen in plan view, is substantially triangular in shape, and this plate is provided with bolt-like stops 57 arranged on the side of the stop plate adjacent the stamping machine. The stops 57 are cushioned at their ends inside the stop plate 56 for exarnp'leby rubber pads or metal springs. The stop plate is also provided with a reinforcement 58 arranged in vertical direction.

The carriage 51 is so arranged in relation to the carriage 36 that the stops 57 come into contact with the carriers 14 slightly above the pivots 19 shortly before the disengagement of the disengageable stops 32. As a result, the carriers are under tension at the time the disengagement of the stops 32 takes place so that a sudden swinging of the carriers into their horizontal positions is ensured, whereby also the predetermined spacing of the rib plates 5 is extremely accurately maintained.

:In the region of the lower strand of the carrier chain 8 locking control surfaces (not shown) are arranged in the path of the knobs 32a of the disengageable stops 32, which surfaces again lock the carriers, which have swung back into their vertical positions due to the force of gravity, by pushing in these disengageable stops.

A limit switch 59 (-FIG. 1) fixedly mounted on the stamping machine brings to a standstill the driving motor of the stamping machine and therewith the whole apparatus as soon as it is actuated by the releasing device 15 striking it.

The apparatus according to the invention operates in the following manner:

The stamping machine 1 stamps out from sheet metal strips continually fed to it, two rib plates at a time with apertures corresponding to the external diameters of the tubes to be provided with ribs. At the same time, for effecting a better sliding seat of the rib plates on the tubes, the aperture of the rib plates is preferably bordered by an annular collar consisting of the material of the sheet metal strips. The stamped rib plates 5 are threaded on to the tubes 3 by means of the catching horns 7, if necessary through the intermediary of a suitable feeding device arranged on the stamping machine. Directly at the beginning of the tubes the rib plates 5 are engaged by the carriers 14 mounted on the carrier chain 8 and are pushed along the tubes away from the stamping machine. The feed speed of the carrier chain is finely regulated through the intermediary of the infinitely variable gear disposed between the driving motor of the stamping machine and the carrier chain, in such a manner that the two rib plates dropping on to the catching horns after each working cycle of the press are immediately engaged by the carrier 14. As soon as the first rib plates have reached the predetermined positions in the vicinity of the ends of the tubes remote from the press, the releasing device 15 is set in motion in counter direction to the direction of movement of the carriers preferably by the first rib plate coming into contact with a switch arranged on the releasing device 15. In moving, the releasing device 15 successively disengages the disengageable stops 32 of the carriers so that the latter withdraw from the rib plates as soon as they have reached their prescribed final positions.

It'will be clear that the portion of tube 3 projecting from the mounting support 6 towards the stamping machine 1 extends along the path of the carriers 14 in such a manner that the carriers in their operative position move along the projecting portion of tube 3 toward the mounting support 6 for successively placing rib plates 5 on this projecting portion of the tube.

The accurate spacing of the rib plates 5 in relation to each other on the tubes 3 is effected by a suitable selection of the generally much lower feed speed of the releasing device moving in the opposite direction y in relation to the feed speed of the carrier chain 8. The speed of the carrier chain is primarily dependent solely upon the working speed of the press 1, and the variable gear disposed between the driving motor of the press 1 and the carrier chain 8 serves therefore in the first place only for accurately adjusting the carrier chain speed in such a manner that each carrier 14 immediately engages a rib plate delivered from the press and threaded on to the tubes by means of the catching horns 7. On the other hand, the speed of the releasing device is regulated within wider limits, in accordance with the desired distances between the individual rib plates, by means of the gear coordinated tothe control chain 16.

Theoretically, when the rel-easing device is moving and the carrier chain 8 is standing still, the distances between the individual rib plates in their final positions could reach the distances between the individual carriers. However, on account of the narrower spacing of the transverse ribs predominantly required in practice, the speed of the releasing device is mostly chosen considerably lower than that of the carrier chain 8. Y

The disengagement of the disengageable stops 32 takes place in such a manner that as the stops 32 approach the gripper head 40, the sliding cheek 23 preceding in the direction of movement x of the carrier chain 8 presses the longer lever arm 37 of the double lever 34 outwards by means of its control surface 33, with the result that the shorter lever arm 39 engaging behind the gripper head brings the latter into the path of the knob 32a of the disengageable stop 32 against the action of the pressure spring 47. After the knob 32a has entered the gripper head 4%, the lever arm 37 comes free from the control surface 33 of the sliding cheek 23 so as to enable the pressure spring 47 to retract instantaneously the gripper head 40 with the knob 32a of the disengageable stop 32 which has run thereinto. This causes the carrier, owing to its center of gravity being suitably positioned, to swing into the horizontal position. his swinging movement is suddenly intensified by the cushioned stops 57 coming into contact preferably slightly earlier with the carriers 14. Should the disengageable stop 32 be released only slightly after the elastic force of the cushioned stops 57 is exhausted, this would result in no diificulties because the sliding cheeks 22 and 23 of the carrier 14- arranged on the chain links 24 are cushioned by means of the springs 25.

In the region of the lower strand of the carrier chain 8 the carriers return into their vertical positions under the influence of the force of gravity and are again locked by means of locking control surfaces arranged in the path of the knobs 32a of the disengageable stops 32, in that the control surfaces again push in the knobs 32a of the disengageable stops 32.

With the stamping machine 1 operating at about 220 working cycles per minute, one meter of the tube can be provided with ribs spaced at a distance of four millimeters within about one minute. The apparatus described enables tubes up to about 6 to 8 meters in length to be provided with ribs. Tubes having twice that length can be dealt with by reversing them after one half has been provided with ribs.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. For example, the rib plates need not be fed to the threading bench directly after they have been produced, for example, by means of the stamping machine, as described above. It is, for example, also possible to feed the rib plates to the tubes mounted on the threading bench from a stock with the aid of a feeding device. In this case, it is merely necessary to tune the feeding elements of the carriers and the releasing device to the speed at which the rib plates are fed, which could preferably be best achieved by coupling the feeding elements with the driving motor of the feeding device.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for placing rib elements on an elongated object, in combination, conveyer means including a set of spaced carrier means movable between an operative position for supporting at least one rib element and an inoperative position, and locking means for locking said carrier means in said operative position, said conveyer means being movable in one direction for moving said carrier means and rib elements thereon along a path; stationary holding means for holding an elongated object in a position in which at least a portion of the object extends along said path in such a manner that said carrier means in said operative position move along said portion toward said holding means for successively placing rib elements on said portion and for moving rib elements along said portion; and control means moving in a direction opposite to said direction and including a device moving along said path for successively releasing said locking means and for moving successive carrier means from said operative position to said inoperative position so that said carrier means separate from rib elements placed on said portion of the elongated object whereby the rib elements are disposed on said portion in spaced positions corresponding to the positions of said device relative to the elongated object at the time of the release of said locking means and of the movement of said carrier means to said inoperative position.

2. in an apparatus for placing rib elements on an elongated object, in combination, conveyer means including a set of spaced carrier means movable between an operative position for supporting at least one rib and an inoperative position, and locking means for locking said carrier means in said operative position, said conveyer means being movable in one direction for moving said carrier means and rib elements thereon along a path; stationary holding means for holding an elongated obect in a position in which at least a portion of the object extends along said path in such a manner that said carrier means in said operative position move along said portion toward said holding means for successively placing rib elements on said portion and for moving rib elements along said portion; control means moving in a direction opposite to said direction and including a device moving along said path for successively releasing said locking means and for moving successive carrier means from said operative position to said inoperative position so that said carrier means separate from rib elements placed on said portion of the elongated object whereby the rib elements are disposed on said portion in spaced positions corresponding to the positions of said device relative to the elongated object at the time of the release of said locking means and of the movement of said carrier means to said inoperative position; drive means; and transmission means connecting said drive means with said conveyer means and with said control means and including an infinitely variable transmission device for varying the relative speed of said conveyer means and control means whereby the spacing of said rib elements on said portion of said elongated object can be varied.

3. In an apparatus for placing rib elements on an elongated object, in combination, conveyer means including endless chain means, a set of carrier means mounted on said chain means spaced from each other and turnable between an operative position for supporting at least one rib element and an inoperative position, and locking means on said chain means for locking said carrier means in said operative position, said conveyer means being movable in one direction for moving said carrier means and rib elements thereon along a path; stationary holding means for holding an elongated object in a position in which at least a portion of the object extends along said path in such a manner that said carrier means in said operative position move along said portion toward said holding means for successively placing rib elements on said portion and for moving rib elements along said portion; and control means including endless belt means moving in a direction opposite to said directions and a device mounted on said lastmentioned belt means for movement with the same along said path for successively releasing said locking means and for moving successive carrier means from said operative position to said inoperative position so that said carrier means separate from rib elements placed on said portion of the elongated object whereby the rib elements are disposed on said portion in spaced positions corresponding to the positions of said device relative to the elongated object at the time of the release of said locking means and of the movement of said carrier means to said inoperative position.

4. In an apparatus for placing rib elements on an elongated object, in combination, conveyer means including endless chain means, a set of carrier means mounted on said chain means spaced from each other and turnable between an operative position for supporting at least one rib element and an inoperative position, and locking means on said chain means for locking said carrier means in said operative position and including a locking pin movable between a locking position located on one side of each carrier means for blocking turning movement of the same and a retracted releasing position, said conveyer means being movable in one direction for moving said carrier means and rib elements thereon along a path; stationary holding means for holding an elongated object in a posi tion in which at least a portion of the object extends along said path in such a manner that said carrier means in said operative position move along said portion toward said holding means for successively placing rib elements on said portion and for moving rib elements along said portion; and control means including endless belt means moving in a direction opposite to said direction and a device mounted on said last-mentioned belt means for movement with the same along said path and including releasing means for successively engaging said locking pins in said locking position and for retracting the same to said releasing position for unlocking said carrier means, and pressing means for moving successive carrier means from said operative position to said inoperative position so that said carrier means separate from rib elements placed on said portion of the elongated object whereby the rib'elements are disposed on said portion in spaced positions corresponding to the positions of said device relative to the elongated object at the time of the release of said locking means .and of the movement of said carrier means to said inoperative position.

5. In an apparatus for placing rib elements on an elongated object, in combination, conveyer means including endless chain means, a set of carrier means mounted on said chain means spaced from each other and turnable between an operative position for supporting at least one rib element and an inoperative position, said carrier means having an eccentric part for urging said carrier means by force of gravity to turn, and locking means on said chain means for locking said carrier means in said operative position and including a locking pin movable between a locking position located on one side of each carrier means for blocking turning movement of the same and a retracted releasing position, said conveyer means being movable in one direction for moving said carrier means and rib ele ments thereon along a path; means for moving said locking pins from said releasing position to said locking position during movement of said chain means; stationary holding means for holding an elongated object in a position in which at least a portion of the object extends along said path in such a manner that said carrier means in said operative position move along said portion toward said holding means for successively placing rib elements on said portion and for moving rib elements along said portion; and control means including endless belt means moving in a direction opposite to said direction and a device mounted on said last-mentioned belt means for movement with the same along said path and including releasing means for successively engaging said locking pins in said locking position and for retracting the same to said releasing position for unlocking said carrier means, and pressing means for moving successive carrier means from said operative position to said inoperative position so that said carrier means separate from rib elements placed on said portion of the elongated object whereby the rib elements are disposed on said portion in spaced positions corresponding to the positions of said device relative to the elongated object at the time of the release of said locking means and of the movement of said carrier means to said inoperative position.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim wherein said chain means of said conveyer means is composed of links having pairs of longitudinally extending links, and wherein each carrier means includes :a pair of sliding members mounted on said guides for movement in direction of the conveyer means, and springs abutting said links and said slides, said carrier means further including a pivot pin mounted on each pair of slides, and a carrier plate mounted on each pivot pin and being adapted to hold the rib element, each of said plates having said eccentric part transversely projecting therefrom in the region of said pivot pin, and wherein each of said locking plus is mounted on one of said slides on the side of said plate removed from said holding means and trailing in the direction of the movement of said carrier means toward said holding means.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein each locking pin includes a bolt portion mounted on the respective slides for movement transverse to the direction of movement of said carrier means, and a head portion laterally projecting from said slide.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and including guide tracks extending along said belt means of said control means; and wherein said device includes two carriages guided on said guide tracks, coupling means for clamping said guide carriages to said belt means, one of said carriages supporting said releasing means, and the other of said carriages supporting said pressing means.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said pressing means includes resilient abutments confronting the leading carrier means and resiliently engaging the same to urge the same to turn to said inoperative position While said releasing means retracts the respective blocking pin and unlocks the respective carrier means.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said releasing means includes a guide means secured to said belt means and extending perpendicularly to the direction of movement of said carrier means, a member having a gripper head mounted on said guide means, and a spring urging said member in a position in which said gripper head is retracted from the path of movement of said locking pins, said gripper head being shiftable to an operative position engaging the locking pin of the leading carrier means for retracting said locking pin to said releasing position, a lever mounted on said guide means and having one arm in the region of said gripper head, and another arm in the path of movement of said carrier means, a spring substantially weaker than said last-mentioned spring and biasing said lever so that said one arm abuts said gripper head, the other arm of said lever being successively engaged by said carrier means whereby said gripper head is operated to move the locking pin of the leading carrier means to said retracted releasing position when the outer arm of said lever is released by the carrier means leading said leading carrier means.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein each carrier means includes a member having a guide face and being mounted in said chain means, said member supporting said locking pin, said guide face being engaged by said other arm of said lever.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said endless chain means includes two strands, one of said strands extending along said path and moving in said direction, and the other strand moving in the opposite direction and carrying carrier means in said inoperative position, and wherein said means for moving said locking pins from said releasing position to said locking position are located in the region of said lower strand of said endless chain means of said conveyer means.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and including motor means for driving said chain means and conveyer means, a switch in the circuit of said motor, said switch being located in the path of said device to stop said motor when said device arrives in a terminal position remote from said holding means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,996,566 Boerger Apr. 2, 1935 2,006,383 Boerger July 2, 1935 2,782,904 Sangster Feb. 26, 1957 

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR PLACING RIB ELEMENTS ON AN ELONGATED OBJECT, IN COMBINATION, CONVEYER MEANS INCLUDING A SET OF SPACED CARRIER MEANS MOVABLE BETWEEN AN OPERATIVE POSITION FOR SUPPORTING AT LEAST ONE RIB ELEMENT AND AN INOPERATIVE POSITION, AND LOCKING MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID CARRIER MEANS IN SAID OPERATIVE POSITION, SAID CONVEYER MEANS BEING MOVABLE IN ONE DIRECTION FOR MOVING SAID CARRIER MEANS AND RIB ELEMENTS THEREON ALONG A PATH; STATIONARY HOLDING MEANS FOR HOLDING AN ELONGATED OBJECT IN A POSITION IN WHICH AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE OBJECT EXTENDS ALONG SAID PATH IN SUCH A MANNER THAT SAID CARRIER MEANS IN SAID OPERATIVE POSITION MOVE ALONG SAID PORTION TOWARD SAID HOLDING MEANS FOR SUCCESSIVELY PLACING RIB ELEMENTS ON SAID PORTION AND FOR MOVING RIB ELEMENTS ALONG SAID PORTION; AND CONTROL MEANS MOVING IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO SAID DIRECTION AND INCLUDING A DEVICE MOV- 